Over the past couple weeks I've noticed plenty of inquiry within the high school, however, not so much in the middle school. My cooperating teacher at NK is really great when it comes to asking the kids to think critically and reiterating her direction. Overall, she usually calls on students and asks them thought provoking questions about the topic she is teaching. For example, when she was talking about weather and pressure systems she explained that there is a symbol that meteorologists use to denote a warm fronts and a cold fronts. She showed them all a map so they had an idea about what she was talking about. She then introduced a new symbol which was a "mix" of cold and warm fronts and asked the kids to think about what that meant exactly. She waited patiently and took everyone's guess until the right answer arrived. (It means a stationary front.) So far she has been using this method of teaching for her Earth Science class and her Anatomy and Physiology class. I have noticed that her amounts and depth of inquiry do vary upon age group and level of class. The previous example of inquiry is pretty low level as they had a visual answer in front of them and all she was expecting was a verbal explanation. But in her AP Anatomy and Physiology class she will be talking about organs and their functions. I remember for one class they were going over the central region of the body's organs ventrally to dorsally. (belly to back) She had a model of the human body that had removable pieces. She would always ask the students to tell her which parts she was peeling off and their functions. She never gave an answer, just awaited one. An even higher level of inquiry was when she would ask the function of organs that aren't so common. For example, the gallbladder. Most students would try to answer her, and if they were wrong but on the right track she would ask them where they came up with the answer. (asking for scientific evidence) If noone could come up with the right answer she hinted about the organs whereabouts, what it was next to, etc...until someone arrived at the correct answer.
Grade 7, Deering Middle School
Observations:
Honestly the only inquiry I have seen at Deering Middle School is when they are doing class work and the teacher calls on a student to answer his question. There isn't any scientific inquiry whatsoever and definitely no asking of the kids to express any type of scientific evidence to their peers. I suppose he does encourage some critical thinking because if they are going over the current assignment and someone gets a wrong answer he will keep probing and guiding the students into the correct answer. (But I've only seen this during "team class" where they are going over 'hands on algebra' at the moment) This CT doesn't vary his inquiry over different classes/levels of students.
Reflections:
I feel comfortable with scientific inquiry because I've watched it firsthand while observing at NKHS. The only thing I would more strongly encourage is the interaction between students. I hope to afford the students more peer to peer expression of scientific inquiry whether it's done within pairs or groups. Overall, I believe that my CT at NK is a great role model when it comes to learning about how to administer scientific inquiry.
On a different note, I would change the way inquiry is being dealt with completely in the 7th grade Science class at Deering Middle. In simple terms, there is none. Maybe my CT isn't aware of its importance in the classroom, but over the past weeks he definitely has shown no evidence of scientific inquiry within his lessons. First off, I think I would put this classroom into a groups of 3 or 4. During my lessons I would ask guiding questions as I began my topics. For example, next spring I will be going over the human brain. A great way to incorporate inquiry into this lesson would be to ask questions such as: "So here is a picture of the brain, and here is the temporal lobe. Imagine the side of a persons head in conjunction to this picture. According to its placement, what do you think it's function would be for you and I?" Maybe I would let the students talk amongst themselves about the answer but eventually we would go over it and talk about each persons answer and ask evidence pertaining to their ideas. I know that I will have a couple of regular education classes and one 'integrated' classroom which has two paraprofessionals aiding in instruction for the kids who need it. So therefore I believe that I should and will be aware of the levels of inquiry that I give. However, no matter what level that I administer there will be inquiry within all of my classes.
Observations:
Over the past couple weeks I've noticed plenty of inquiry within the high school, however, not so much in the middle school. My cooperating teacher at NK is really great when it comes to asking the kids to think critically and reiterating her direction. Overall, she usually calls on students and asks them thought provoking questions about the topic she is teaching. For example, when she was talking about weather and pressure systems she explained that there is a symbol that meteorologists use to denote a warm fronts and a cold fronts. She showed them all a map so they had an idea about what she was talking about. She then introduced a new symbol which was a "mix" of cold and warm fronts and asked the kids to think about what that meant exactly. She waited patiently and took everyone's guess until the right answer arrived. (It means a stationary front.) So far she has been using this method of teaching for her Earth Science class and her Anatomy and Physiology class. I have noticed that her amounts and depth of inquiry do vary upon age group and level of class. The previous example of inquiry is pretty low level as they had a visual answer in front of them and all she was expecting was a verbal explanation. But in her AP Anatomy and Physiology class she will be talking about organs and their functions. I remember for one class they were going over the central region of the body's organs ventrally to dorsally. (belly to back) She had a model of the human body that had removable pieces. She would always ask the students to tell her which parts she was peeling off and their functions. She never gave an answer, just awaited one. An even higher level of inquiry was when she would ask the function of organs that aren't so common. For example, the gallbladder. Most students would try to answer her, and if they were wrong but on the right track she would ask them where they came up with the answer. (asking for scientific evidence) If noone could come up with the right answer she hinted about the organs whereabouts, what it was next to, etc...until someone arrived at the correct answer.
Grade 7, Deering Middle School
Observations:
Honestly the only inquiry I have seen at Deering Middle School is when they are doing class work and the teacher calls on a student to answer his question. There isn't any scientific inquiry whatsoever and definitely no asking of the kids to express any type of scientific evidence to their peers. I suppose he does encourage some critical thinking because if they are going over the current assignment and someone gets a wrong answer he will keep probing and guiding the students into the correct answer. (But I've only seen this during "team class" where they are going over 'hands on algebra' at the moment) This CT doesn't vary his inquiry over different classes/levels of students.
Reflections: